NetGalley

Books: February Edition

One of my 2016 reading goals was to read something by Jojo Moyes and I now have! I’ve recently heard a lot of bloggers/podcasters mention how much they loved Me Before You, so this was the book I chose to introduce me to Moyes. It’s a love story that includes growth, acceptance, and sacrifice. Even though it’s fiction, it doesn’t shy away from a tough scenario that is a reality for some couples and families. Even though I only have this book as a comparison, her style of writing and the hard-hitting issue within this story reminded me of the books I’ve read by Jodi Picoult.

A grant from the Oklahoma Humanities Council has allowed libraries from around the state to host community book discussions, with this year’s theme being Crime & Comedy. (The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse was the January pick.) It’s the sixth book in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series, but it stood on its own, making me glad I didn’t feel lost picking up in the middle of the series. While I didn’t make it to the February event, I did enjoy reading this cozy mystery. A burglar who is a bookseller, a collection of baseball cards gone missing, and a murder thrown in for good measure included characters and subplots cleverly interwoven and was an unexpectedly likeable read.

I don’t often re-read books, even ones I’ve deemed a “favorite,” but almost 11 years have passed since this book found me when I was browsing at a (now closed) Borders in St. Louis in 2005. I was preparing for a trip to London to visit friends and I remember seeing this book had been signed by the author, which piqued my interest. And after a quick glance at the summary, I decided it was the perfect book to accompany me on my trip.
Fast forward to the present, when it was the selection for my community book club. While I also wasn’t able to attend our February gathering, I loved having an impetus to re-read this novel I enjoyed so much then, where enough time has passed that the details had grown foggy in my mind. I caught myself gasping aloud at certain points and am excited to know two more books accompany this one in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, The Angel’s Game and The Prisoner of Heaven.

Misty Copeland has become a recent fascination of mine. I love success stories of strong women who blaze trails and inspire others in their wake. Late last year I ordered a copy of her autobiography for our library and as I awaited it to be finished cataloging and available for checkout, I watched the documentary A Ballerina’s Taleabout her on Netflix. The movie focuses more on her career as a ballerina, while her autobiography gives personal insight into her childhood, family struggles, resilience amid racial stereotypes, and growth as a ballerina. If you, like me, don’t have a background in ballet, the technical terminology flows into a greater understanding of bodily movement in dance and the vocabulary is approachable for young adult and adult readers alike.

Additionally, her website, http://mistycopeland.com/, is beautiful and worth visiting to see amazing photos, connect with her via social media, and more. And while I’ve never taken ballet, I am inspired to see if there are any studios in our town which offer beginner ballet for adults.